'Single window' facility for customs clearance at ports likely soon
Monday, 3 September 2007
Doulot Akter Mala
The customs department is contemplating introduction of a 'single window' service to expedite unloading and subsequent clearing of imported merchandise at the seaports.
The department devised the mechanism to remove procedural complexities resulting in delay in the release of imported goods at the entry point. Such delay is considered to be one of the major reasons for escalation in commodity prices in the local markets.
"The customs department has to follow its rules and regulations, apart from performing other duties, to issue clearance to the imported goods and we are planning to do the job from a single table like other developed countries," said Member (customs) of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) Rashidul Ahsan Chowdhury.
Other formalities like obtaining quarantine certificates, radiation certificates are time-consuming and usually delays the release of imported goods from customs causing damage to perishable items.
"We have been trying to motivate other government departments related to the clearance of imported consignments to explore the possibility of consolidating the relevant works prior to launching the service," he said.
The customs department is likely to launch a 'one stop service' within a couple of months considering the soaring price of essential commodities, he said.
The customs clearance procedure should be more prompt and easy to keep the price of commodities stable in the local market, importers and traders said.
In order to rein in the prices of essentials, the government has exempted a number of essential items from import duties despite tax revenue loss.
The government will have to initiate other measures in addition to exemption of duty on essential commodities that only facilitates the importers, they said.
The customs department is contemplating introduction of a 'single window' service to expedite unloading and subsequent clearing of imported merchandise at the seaports.
The department devised the mechanism to remove procedural complexities resulting in delay in the release of imported goods at the entry point. Such delay is considered to be one of the major reasons for escalation in commodity prices in the local markets.
"The customs department has to follow its rules and regulations, apart from performing other duties, to issue clearance to the imported goods and we are planning to do the job from a single table like other developed countries," said Member (customs) of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) Rashidul Ahsan Chowdhury.
Other formalities like obtaining quarantine certificates, radiation certificates are time-consuming and usually delays the release of imported goods from customs causing damage to perishable items.
"We have been trying to motivate other government departments related to the clearance of imported consignments to explore the possibility of consolidating the relevant works prior to launching the service," he said.
The customs department is likely to launch a 'one stop service' within a couple of months considering the soaring price of essential commodities, he said.
The customs clearance procedure should be more prompt and easy to keep the price of commodities stable in the local market, importers and traders said.
In order to rein in the prices of essentials, the government has exempted a number of essential items from import duties despite tax revenue loss.
The government will have to initiate other measures in addition to exemption of duty on essential commodities that only facilitates the importers, they said.